Dearest Clara, Late nights at the office have had me thinking about work recently. This year actually marks ten years that I’ve been in the work force, and in many ways I feel like almost no time has passed by at all. I feel that there is still so much learn, and there are so many jobs I’d like to have before I would feel that I truly have the experience to be considered qualified. But then, I look at our incoming summer interns, or the candidates that will be starting with firms here in the fall, and I know that to some degree, I’ve also come a long way. I was that young too at one point, starting out with nerves and anticipation.
With that in mind, I’ve thought of a few things I’ve learned from some of my best mentors along the way---things I definitely didn’t know when I first started:
- Check, check, and double check: First lesson from my first boss and I still use it today. Of all the things that we do at work, no matter what the field, when you are new at doing them, or do them a lot, or do them tired, or have others help you do them, the bottom line is that you have to check it . . . check it again . . . and then check it once more. Just because you “thought” something got done, or got done right, doesn’t mean that it did. And no matter what the reason, often times you’ll find yourself being the one to explain something that didn’t. You’ll be tempted to skip these steps, and you’ll regret. Just check, check, and double check.
- Don’t turn down a job you haven’t been offered yet: Same job, different boss for this one . . . It can be easy to imagine ourselves doing lots of different things in life---and that’s a good thing. But it’s also just as easy to picture yourself not doing a lot of things . . . you don’t want to live somewhere . . . the pay wouldn’t be right . . . your skills wouldn’t be right. But you’d be surprised at how much can change between initial conversations and then actual offers. Don’t limit your own opportunities before someone has had a chance to offer them to you.
- Always leave the door open: Workplaces and clients and colleagues will come and go. Sometimes on good terms, and sometimes on ones much less so. When you’re ending a work relationship, if you have things to get off your chest about how things weren’t how you thought they would be, be sure to think twice. End the relationship as diplomatically as possible, since the chances that you will work with that person or organization or brand or chain are high, and only getting higher the more interconnected we become. Don’t let things you say professionally (or personally for that matter) come back to haunt you.
- You’re not above anything: One of the best feelings at work is the one you get when you’re promoted. Not only does it usually mean you a make a bit more, but it’s a huge validation of your efforts. When that promotion comes, just remember that it doesn’t make you better than others who were passed over, or who haven’t yet had theirs. A promotion is an earned acknowledgement of your work but it’s not a free pass for all the things you’d rather not do. Sometimes, the best way to lead your team is to work right in the trenches with them. Don’t put yourself above any tasks, since you never know when you’ll have to start from the bottom up again.
- Will you live to work or work to live? Work is a funny thing . . . you will end up in all likelihood spending more time at work than you do anywhere else, including home. But work will likely always have trade-offs between you might be passionate about and what the job actually entails. You’ll have to pick the right balance, but just remember than in addition to finding work a fulfilling way to spend our time, it is also what pays the rent, what puts food on the table, what buys us our leisure and hobbies, and what will do the same for your own children. At some point, the lifestyle you want will also dictate the work you need to get.
All my love,
Mom